Thursday 8 September 2016

By election result


Congratulations to Senator Ferguson, shame on you Jersey.



An abysmal turnout, a lack of factual background material available to the public on the candidates and their past voting and political records and a situation not helped by an outdated first past the post election system.  

The outcome.  We elected a senator who said on radio she'd have supported UKIP at the last UK election, is sceptical to put it mildly on climate change, and opposes most renewable energy options. Of course none of that was mentioned on her election leaflet.  She did talk and write about opposing new taxes/charges, but forget to mention she voted for GST  and against exemptions when she had the power to do so in the States.  Maybe she has changed her mind, we might have known had there been anything like debate in the election and detailed reporting in the press on issues rather than caricatures and snide observation on husting attendance.  

This isn't working, but how to change. It isn't arguing about  electoral change and constitution . It isn't angry letters to the JEP (though that might help you feel better), it is to take back the communications between the activists and the public, not let intermediaries and commercial interests have a stranglehold .  Online helps a little with that, but not enough  - it needs activists on streets year round connecting with  people  face to face , door to door.  Very old fashioned, very effective, almost impossible on any meaningful scale without structure and organisation and resources.   
Don't get mad, get active!

1 comment:

  1. it needs activists on streets year round connecting with people face to face , door to door.

    I agree. And the only way to sustain that is a proper political party.

    ReplyDelete